family time

Travel Journal//Europe – June 2017

Abi Leah14 Comments

Hey, everyone! A couple of weeks ago, I got back from an amazing trip to Europe to visit my grandparents and cousins. I had so much fun with all of my family members, seeing some historic sights and meeting some amazing people. I can’t wait to go back!

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At Home in Belgium

We landed in Belgium early in the morning and were greeted by my Oma and Opa. It was so nice seeing them again! Most days of our trip, my family and I would stop by my grandparents house and eat meals with them. Oma’s food is so good!

We took a day trip to a beach and walked for a couple of hours. The beach was beautiful and full of shells. Since it was the 4th of July, we ate some red, white, and blue M&Ms to celebrate. :)

Shopping And Friends

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picture via sis

We spent several days shopping and looking for gifts to bring back home. One of my favorite days was when we stumbled upon a little neighborhood and met a really kind lady in her early 80s. She happily told us stories and showed us to a little chapel where she plays piano every week. It was so nice to meet another believer and to spend some time getting to know her. I know that I will never forget her.

A Short Road Trip

To finish off our vacation, my family and I all took a short three-day road trip to Germany. On the way there, we drove through Luxemburg and then stopped for lunch in France. It was really cool seeing how the culture and buildings looked so different as we passed through the different countries. It was definitely something that we don’t get to experience in America.

Germany was absolutely beautiful! I loved all of the houses and the flowers in the windows made me really happy. :) While in Germany, we took a bergbahn (old mountain train) to the top of a mountain; the view was AMAZING!

I had such a great time in Europe with my family. I can’t wait to go back and see them again! There will be a video coming up soon on my Youtube channel so keep an eye out for that! Have a great day! :)

signi

Traveling, Surgery, and A Life Update

Abi Leah4 Comments

Hey, everyone! Did you miss me? I am so so sorry that I haven’t posted! Life has been pretty crazy. But I’m back with a ton of new posts for you! First, I’ll catch you up on everything with a life update.

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Travels and Adventures

At the end of June, my family and I took a trip to Europe for a couple of weeks to spend time with my grandparents and other family members. We spent a lot of time in Belgium and Holland but we also took a road trip to Germany to get a clock repaired. I had so much fun and met so many cool people. I am working on a travel journal to post soon so keep an eye out for that!

Surgery and Recovery

Monday morning, I woke up bright and early for the surgery on my arm. I was pretty nervous especially since during the nights leading up to the surgery I had nightmares. But, everything went well and I got to go home before lunch so it was fine! The rest of the day I spent sleeping.

On Tuesday, one of my best friends came over to visit me and cheer me up. She even attempted to clean my room for me which was actually really funny. Even so, she helped get my mind off of my arm and the hours I spent feeling useless.

Yesterday, my other best friend came over with her mom and her brothers. She also brought chocolate and flowers so it was a good day! ;) She helped to brighten up my day a bit and I am grateful for that.

Today, I can use my arm a bit more (enough to write some posts) and it doesn’t hurt. I’m planning on taking the rest of the week slow and careful. I am so glad that my arm is healing and that I will be able to use it normally again soon. This whole week has made me feel much more grateful for a healthy and functioning body.

So that’s my quick life update! I’ll be posting a Travel Journal from my Europe trip in a couple of days. Also, this is completely random but, I’m wondering what are your favorite brands for backpacks? Let me know in the comments below; it’ll help me a lot. :)

signi

“To-Bake List” – S’mores Edition

Abi Leah7 Comments

Hello everyone! Do you know what I love about summer? S’mores! And what’s better than s’mores? I don’t know but if you figure it out, let me know. ;) Here are five S’more treats that are to die for!

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  1. S’mores Macarons  – I’ve never met a person who wasn’t a fan of macarons. They’re just so good! Olivia did a great post on how to make S’mores Macarons on her blog, Live for Cake. I need to get my sister to make these!
  2. S’mores Fudge Bars – Tessa from Handle the Heat shared this recipe for s’mores fudge bars that look amazing. Plus, there’s fudge! Yum. :)
  3. S’mores Stuffed Cookies – Amanda from Cookie Named Desire describes these cookies so well: “Your favorite campfire treat gets an upgrade with this gooey, cookie recipe. S’mores stuffed cookies are filled with graham crackers and chocolate, then stuffed with gooey marshmallows for the ultimate s’mores dessert.” To which I would respond, yum!
  4. S’mores Pancakes – These pancakes from Krissy’s blog Self Proclaimed Foodie look amazing! I’ll have to make these the next time my friends come over.
  5. S’mores Popcorn – Popcorn is perfect for an on-the-go snack. I think this is something I could bring hiking or on a road trip.

Do you love s’mores? Have you tried any of these recipes or anything similar? Leave a comment down below! I’d love to hear from you. :)

signi

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Happy Best Friends Day! + 23 Things To Do With Your Friends This Summer

Abi Leah9 Comments

Happy Best Friends Day everyone! I hope you get to spend some time with all of your friends today but, if not, here’s a list of 23 things you can do with your friends this summer! :)

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  1. Hang out at the pool.
  2. Have a friends photoshoot.
  3. Volunteer somewhere together for the day.
  4. Road trip!
  5. Go horseback riding.
  6. Attend a floating lantern festival.
  7. Make homemade icecream.
  8. Have a paint fight.
  9. Go camping together.
  10. Have a weeklong sleepover.
  11. Go thrift shopping together.
  12. Make a friendship playlist.
  13. Make friendship bracelets.
  14. Have a picnic.
  15. Start a book club together.
  16. Go to a music festival.
  17. Stargaze.
  18. Try out new crafts.
  19. Play with animals at a local shelter.
  20. Make a summer scrapbook.
  21. Go hiking to a waterfall.
  22. Tie-dye shirts.
  23. Go back to school shopping together!

I can’t wait to try all of these things out with my friends! I know it’ll be a lot of fun. :) If you try any of the things listed with your friends, let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear from you! :) Have an amazing day!

signi

May Memories

Abi Leah10 Comments

Hello, everyone! Let’s talk about May. The last month of school. Crazy and utterly exhausting but SO full of happy memories! In a way, I miss it but at the same time, I’m so glad it’s over!

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The first week of May was full of happy friend memories. One of my best friends made me a beautiful pillow in between her study times. How she did it, I have no idea, but it’s beautiful and I love it so much! AP exams weren’t fun but it came with excused absenses and trips to Aldi’s to get ice cream. My 6 friends and I shared a whole tub of ice cream and it was amazing! A couple of days later, I started my new bullet journal!

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For Mother’s Day, my family and I took a trip to the mountains for the weekend. It was beautiful and a great way to spend the day celebrating my mom. We were even able to see a couple of geese in the river!

Next came a couple of pool parties with some amazing friends! My sister celebrated a birthday with some of her friends. Then I hosted a couple of last minute parties with my friends before school ended. I loved hanging out with everyone and can’t wait to make more memories with them this summer! Then came May 25. The day my exams started. I had my French exam first and did pretty well! After that, I had 3 more exams, British Literature, Chemistry, and Spanish. My last exam was yesterday! So glad to be done! :)

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Other Things I Loved

  • Smores Frappuccino from Starbucks (all time fav!)
  • All of the blooming flowers!
  • Celebration donuts at the end of exams!
  • Getting our piano tuned
  • And then having a mini concert :)

How was your May? What are you looking forward to in June? I’d love to hear from you! :)

signi

Writing Wednesday – Sisterly Memories

Abi Leah9 Comments

Hey, guys! How are you? It’s been a while since my last Writing Wednesday entry so I thought I would share one this week. This one is all about memories. :)

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I remember the day when we laughed until our sides hurt and when we screamed with joy and made funny faces. I remember the day when we spent hours talking in different accents and dancing around the kitchen. The day when, as I went about my work, you were there making life fun. In those few moments, we were free. Now that we are older, those days are fewer, but I’m looking forward to the day when we can do these things again; when we can laugh until our sides hurt and when we can scream with joy. I can’t wait until the day when we can spend hours talking in different accents and dancing around the kitchen. May these memories forever be in our minds and the hope forever in our hearts.

signi

Happy Easter!

Abi Leah1 Comment

It’s Easter Sunday!

While a lot of people will pass by this day with little more than some chocolate and colorful Easter eggs, I hope that you will spend today celebrating how Christ has risen!

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picture via Pinterest

 

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

Matthew 28:1-10

March Memories

Abi Leah8 Comments

Hello, everyone! As I’m writing this, the rain is pouring outside and my sister is playing violin. My mom is working on starting a fire and I have a big cup of tea waiting for me. Talk about perfect writing time! This past month have been filled with tons of adventures and excitement.

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In the beginning of the month, my mom and my sister and I drove to surprise my sister at her first away game for soccer. It was great except we ended up going to the wrong school! By the time we made it to the right school, there were 3 minutes left in the game. Bummer! But, we were able to see my sister play for a little bit and it made her really happy that we were there, so I’d say it was well worth it! :)

On the 5th, we hosted a missionary family for dinner. The family was really sweet and had lots of fun stories about life on the mission field and their many puppies. On the 12th, there was snow but it all melted within a couple of hours. Still, it was really pretty!

The next week, I had a friend over for a sleepover. We went to the park near my house and saw a beautiful tree! (Pictured below.) While we were at the park, a little girl, about 5, ran up to us and asked us to play with her. She was so adorable and I loved running around with her on the park playground! The next day, we met with another friend and went to walk on the campus of a nearby college, getting a feel for the college-life. It was a great experience and I learned a bit of what it’s like just to be on campus.

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Next came the Florida trip! My whole family spent our Spring break in sunny FL by the beach and it was beautiful! We were also able to go on all kinds of adventures including going to the Everglades. (I even made a video of it! Click here to watch it.) We got to see dolphins, birds, and aligators. A couple of days later, we went to Disney! I loved all of the rides but I especially loved the firework show at the end of the day. :) (Read the Florida Trip Travel Journal here!)

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After getting back into the rhythm of school life, I focused on memorized more Bible verses. This time, I memorized Isaiah 26:3-4 which says:

“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”
-Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)

Last week, my sisters and I took a spontaneous trip to my friend’s house! We spent a lot of time playing with her dog, :) but we also spent time outside making floral creations and talking about life. It was a wonderful way to spend my Sunday and it was pretty relaxing too! :)

Some Pictures from March:

That’s all! How was your March? Did you have any fun adventures? Let me know! I would love to hear from you! :)

signi

 

Blue Sky Tag

Abi Leah12 Comments

Hello, everyone! How are you? I’ve been pretty swamped with school but I was able to post this (even though it’s late) so I would say I’m doing pretty well! I was tagged by this amazing blogger for the Blue Sky Tag. Be sure to check out her blog here and her version of the blog post here!

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Rules

  • Thank the person who tagged you  ✔
  • Answer the 11 questions given to you  ✔
  • Give 11 questions  ✔
  • Nominate 11 people to continue this tag  ✔

Questions and Answers

  1. What is your perfect pizza? (thin/thick crust, toppings, homemade/delivery) – Thin crust, pineapple, ham, extra cheese, olives, and homemade pizza is the best!
  2. If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? – My mom’s thread meat with potatoes and green beans! Yum!
  3. What cheers you up? – My friends and family, writing, listening to music, watching a movie, or drawing.
  4. What is your favorite t.v. commercial? – I love the commercials for Fixer Upper!
  5. What is your favorite of the four seasons? Why? – I love Spring the most because of all of the beautiful blooming flowers and the birds are just amazing. Also, it’s so close to being summer that it’s a hopeful season for me. :)
  6. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!
  7. What is your favorite smell? – Kind of an odd question but I guess my favorite smell would be freshly baked cookies. (Can you tell I’m hungry?) :) ;)
  8. What is your dream job? – I would love to be a Travel Blogger Momma because it incorporates all of my favorite things; traveling, blogging, and family time! :) But I won’t be getting to this dream job for a long time, don’t worry. Hehe!
  9. Who is your biggest role model? – My role model is my Aunt L. She’s an awesome woman who follows Jesus and has worked so hard.
  10. What are your top 3 goals in life? – Live a life that shows God’s love to others, not let my past circumstances hinder me from growing, and publish a book.
  11. What is the best decision you have made recently? – The best decision I’ve made recently… I think that would be deciding not to spend so much time comparing myself to others.

 

Questions For You

  1. Name 3 things that you love about Spring.
  2. What is one thing that you learned this week?
  3. What is your favorite drink?
  4. What is one song that makes you want to dance?
  5. Is there something that your friends do that has rubbed off on you?
  6. If you were an emoji, which one would you be?
  7. Name a book that made you laugh.
  8. Share a photo that you have taken recently.
  9. What is something that you have been meaning to do but haven’t done yet?
  10. If you have $1,000,000, how would you spend it?
  11. What is your favorite word?

Tag! You’re It!

  1. Mehan from Press On Mehan!
  2. Tabi from Busy Bee
  3. Alexandrina from The Warmhearted
  4. The Happy Book
  5. Wonderous Night Trambler from A Girl Cloaked In Night
  6. The Average Girl
  7. Elsie from Elsie L.M.C
  8. Alysha from Joyous Alysha
  9. Chloe from Diary of a Lonely Girl
  10. Truuty from Truth and Beauty
  11. G from Paper Clips and Pins

Thanks again for the nomination! Have a great day!

signi

Motivation Monday // Trust

Abi Leah6 Comments

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March 27, 2017

Today’s Theme: Trust

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“Worrying doesn’t change anything but trusting in God changes everything.” – Unknown

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“When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” – Psalm 56:3

Trust is one of the most important things in a relationship. It’s the same for our relationship with God. We have to learn to trust Him and His plans for our lives. That’s my challenge for you this week. :)

signi